Written by: WSCL Marketing Team
Western State College of Law alumna, Judge Maria Daghlian Hernandez (Class of 1991 | Hall of Fame), has been nominated to the California Court of Appeal, marking another major milestone in a legal career that spans public defense, nearly two decades on the bench, and leadership of the Orange County Superior Court.
On September 18, 2026, Governor Gavin Newsom nominated her as an Associate Justice of the Fourth Appellate District, Division Three. Judge Daghlian Hernandez has served on the Orange County Superior Court since 2009, recently completing three years as Presiding Judge. She was one of five appellate nominees announced that day, along with graduates of Stanford, UCLA, Loyola and USF.
From Public Defender to the Bench
After graduating from Western State, Judge Daghlian Hernandez worked at the Law Offices of Patrick D. McNeal. She spent over a decade with the Orange County Public Defender’s Office, where she became a Senior Deputy Public Defender. In 2006, she was elected Commissioner by Orange County Superior Court judges. Three years later, then-Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed her to the Superior Court. She later served as Assistant Presiding Judge and Presiding Judge of the Orange County Superior Court from 2023 to 2026.
Judge Daghlian Hernandez has had a decorated career in law, holding several leadership roles across California. She currently serves on the Judicial Council of California, chairs its Technology Committee, and is vice-chair of the Judicial Branch Budget Committee. Previously, she chaired the Trial Court Presiding Judges Advisory Committee and was a faculty member of the Center for Judicial Education and Research. In 2016, she received the Judicial Council’s Distinguished Service Award, its highest honor.
Building New Approaches to Justice
Judge Daghlian Hernandez spent nine years in juvenile court, including four as Presiding Judge. During that time, she created and presided over a dedicated court addressing commercially sexually exploited children and co-chaired Orange County’s committee addressing child exploitation.
She later launched Orange County’s Young Adult Court, which serves adults ages 18 to 25 charged with felonies. The program aims to reduce repeat offenses and help them move forward after being involved in the criminal justice system.
A Longstanding Connection to Western State
Judge Daghlian Hernandez earned her J.D. from Western State College of Law and has maintained strong ties with the law school ever since. She returned to Western State as an adjunct professor, where she taught Juvenile Law while serving on the bench. Her career has taken her from the public defender’s office to nearly two decades on the bench and now to a nomination to one of California’s Courts of Appeal.
“Judge Daghlian Hernandez’s nomination is a tremendous source of pride for Western State,” said Justice Halim Dhanidina (Ret.), Dean and Professor of Law at Western State. “Her career reflects the leadership and service we hope to see in our graduates, and I hope her example inspires more of our students and alumni to pursue the bench. I can say from experience that she will be a tremendous asset to the Court of Appeal.”
Her nomination will now be reviewed by the Commission on Judicial Appointments. She has been nominated to Division Three of the Fourth District Court of Appeal, which hears cases from Orange County.
Continuing a Western State Legacy
Judge Daghlian Hernandez’s nomination comes as Western State celebrates its 60th anniversary and strong outcomes for its students and graduates. The Class of 2025 recorded a 94.6% employment rate and an 85.2% overall bar pass rate. National Jurist also ranked Western State No. 2 in the nation for improved graduate employment in 2026.
For six decades, Western State has prepared lawyers who have gone on to serve throughout Orange County and beyond, including more than 150 alumni who have served on the bench as judicial officers. Judge Daghlian Hernandez’s nomination continues that tradition at the appellate level.
Congratulations, Judge Daghlian Hernandez. Western State is proud to call you one of our own.
